1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment device and dental appliance attachment. In particular, it relates to a device for use with the attachment of a dental prosthetic appliance to surrounding teeth.
2. Description of Related Art
The attachment of a prosthetic tooth dental appliance after loss of a tooth has long been a staple of the dental practice. One method has been to fashion a removable denture which is held in place by denture paste or by a tight fit. Where a single or small number of teeth are lost in a single position, the remaining surrounding teeth are often utilized as an attachment point for anchoring the prosthetic tooth or teeth.
The most common method of dental prosthetic device attachment is to fashion a bridge which attaches to a remaining tooth or teeth to provide a rigid connection between the natural teeth and the appliance. These types of devices require a great deal of time to fashion the attachment on the natural teeth and often require multiple fittings. Where the dental appliance needs to be removed or changed, further detailed labor is required and serious damage can occur with the natural teeth.
Other types of connections between a prosthetic tooth and a natural tooth have been attempted as well including locking pin type structures, screws and pistons. Once again, each of these suffers from high cost as well as difficulty in installing and/or removing the appliance and jaw problems due to rigid attachment to the natural tooth due to cranial bone movement.
There is still a serious need to find an appliance attachment means which can easily be installed and removed, is cost effective to build and use, and holds a dental appliance in place during daily use.